Censorship: The Theft of Puritanical Valor

Welcome to the latest edition of Video Games Weekly on Engadget! Every Monday or Tuesday, you can anticipate a fresh story, expertly divided into two engaging parts. The first part features insightful essays and reflections on evolving video game trends and pertinent discussions from me, Jess Conditt, a passionate reporter with over 13 years of experience in covering the gaming industry. The second part delivers essential video game stories from the past week that you simply cannot miss, including some noteworthy headlines from beyond Engadget.

Thank you for joining — and I look forward to connecting with you next week.

Let’s collectively move past the negative discussions surrounding that notorious conservative activist group based in Australia. You know the one I’m referring to — akin to a parasite, it has latched onto the censorship campaign that led to the removal of countless adult games from platforms like Steam and Itch.io, successfully positioning itself at the forefront of the delisting narrative. Yet, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that this group had minimal influence over the extensive game removals.

This Australian anti-porn organization spearheaded a movement in April aiming to eliminate the controversial simulator No Mercy from Steam. Given the general consensus that the game was subpar, the campaign proved successful, resulting in its removal from the storefront. However, it is here that I believe the organization’s involvement in the ongoing situation concludes.

Interestingly, No Mercy prompted payment processors such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal to refocus their scrutiny on the PC gaming market. This situation, while ironic, is less amusing when considering its potential impact on an industry I truly cherish. These financial institutions seized the opportunity to dictate the types of games they were willing to support. Consequently, on July 16, Steam introduced a new clause in its ruleset that prohibited content deemed to “potentially violate the regulations and standards established by Steam’s payment processors,” which includes “certain varieties of adult-only content.” Censorship on Steam is not a novel concept; Valve has long maintained rules against mislabeled adult content, hate speech, and any content violating local laws, among other regulations. However, the act of outsourcing censorship to payment processors is a fresh development, leading to the removal of hundreds of games following this rule alteration. On July 24, Itch.io implemented its own changes and subsequently de-indexed every adult and NSFW game it hosted, resulting in approximately 20,000 titles being obscured from search and browsing functionalities.

The conservative Australian group took credit for the Steam bans on July 19, merely three days after the platform’s rule adjustments went into effect. They claimed that the censorship was a direct result of two recent initiatives: an email campaign that inundated Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and others with 1,067 messages asserting that Steam and Itch.io were hosting illegal sexual content, and an open letter addressed to these same financial institutions, endorsed by faith-based groups opposed to sex work and the LGBTQ+ community.

There is no substantial evidence linking these campaigns directly to the renewed enforcement actions taken by payment processors. In fact, it is quite absurd to think that around 1,000 emails or an open letter would even register with companies as large as Visa, Mastercard, or PayPal. Moreover, following their acknowledgment of the removal of numerous Steam games, the Australian group has attempted to distance itself from the entire affair. Under scrutiny from players, industry watchdogs, and media outlets, each party involved is attempting to evade accountability. Valve claims Mastercard is responsible, while Mastercard insists it is merely adhering to legal requirements, and PayPal asserts it is simply following directives from companies like Mastercard. Meanwhile, the Australian group is trying to sidestep blame for the extensive delistings on Itch.io while simultaneously looking to exploit the Steam bans to further its conservative agenda.

In all likelihood, the Australian activist group anticipated these audits of the PC gaming market and, in a rather peculiar act of stolen puritanical valor, positioned itself at the center of this discourse. It is time for us to stop aiding in this endeavor. Let’s forget their name and, as recommended by the IGDA, direct our frustrations towards the entities wielding power in this situation, particularly Mastercard and Visa.

It’s concerning that a group supported by conservative Christian entities that vehemently oppose sex work, queer rights, and freedom of expression managed to align so seamlessly with financial companies enforcing censorship on Steam and Itch.io. This unquestioned endorsement is particularly alarming in a political and social climate where women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and those who defy traditional conservative lifestyles are under siege. In times like this, radical and expressive art is more crucial than ever, yet it finds itself in a precarious position. Initiating a censorship campaign at this juncture is not just perilous for our most vulnerable communities; it is an act of cowardice.

Furthermore, there has been a significant amount of misinformation intertwined with this censorship debacle. Three games were mistakenly reported as having been delisted or removed from Itch.io or Steam due to this situation: Mouthwashing, Trials of Innocence, and Console Me. However, one game that was unjustly removed amidst the chaos was the psychological horror title VILE: Exhumed — check out my interview with creator Cara Cadaver for more insights.

Stay Informed with the Latest Gaming News

BioShock 4 Faces New Development Challenges

In most contexts, I would be thrilled at the prospect of a hell-themed BioShock, but this iteration is far from ideal. According to Bloomberg, BioShock 4 recently failed a critical review with executives at its publisher, 2K Games, and is now returning to developers at Cloud Chamber for a much-needed narrative overhaul. Additionally, Cloud Chamber’s studio head Kelley Gilmore has departed, and creative director Hogarth de la Plante has transitioned to a publishing role. Very little is known about the game, which has been in development since its announcement in 2019 alongside the establishment of Cloud Chamber.

In related news about Rapture, 2K’s planned remake of the original BioShock was canceled earlier this year, as reported by Bloomberg. Ken Levine, the creative mind behind the BioShock series, is currently developing a game that bears resemblance to the franchise, titled Judas, at his studio, Ghost Story Games.

GOG Distributes Millions of Games in Censorship Protest

In a bold move, GOG collaborated with developers to offer 13 titles featuring adult themes for free from August 1 to 3, standing against the rampant censorship occurring on Steam and Itch.io. Although none of the complimentary titles were explicitly banned during the censorship efforts, they include sexual, queer, or violent content that could easily become targets of similar initiatives in the future. GOG successfully distributed these free games to over 1 million players, highlighting their commitment to freedom of expression.

Itch.io Begins Reindexing Free NSFW Games

Following the mass deindexing of all adult games on July 24, Itch.io took proactive measures on August 1 by relisting all free titles within this category. Currently, the platform is auditing thousands of adult and NSFW games that were swept up in the payment processor ban, leaving the future of these titles uncertain. One of Itch.io‘s long-time partners, Stripe, has stated it will no longer process transactions for titles “intended for sexual gratification,” but there appears to be potential for negotiation moving forward.

Battlefield 6 Set to Launch on October 10

In a surprising turn of events, EA has announced that Battlefield 6 will indeed feature multiplayer content, much to the excitement of fans.

Upcoming Age Verification Rollout on Xbox

The video game community is beginning to feel the impact of the UK’s Online Safety Act. Various platforms, including Discord and Xbox, are implementing new age-verification systems to comply with this legislation in the UK, with Microsoft planning to extend its program to other regions as well. However, they are taking a cautious approach, using the UK as a testing ground for these systems before rolling them out globally.

Sony Takes Legal Action Against Tencent Over Horizon Clone

During its unveiling in 2024, viewers quickly noted the striking similarities between Polaris Quest’s Light of Motiram and Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series — our headline even labeled it a “blatant Horizon ripoff.” After much delay, PlayStation’s legal team has finally taken action, with Sony suing Tencent, the owner of Polaris Quest, over what it describes as a “slavish imitation” of its intellectual property.

Raven Software Achieves Union Contract with Microsoft

Recent layoffs at Microsoft have underscored the significance of effective labor organization in the gaming industry, and one of the field’s pioneering unions has finally formalized its existence. After a three-year journey, Raven Software, a support studio for Call of Duty, has ratified its union contract with Microsoft. Initially, Raven voted to organize under Activision Blizzard, but following Microsoft’s acquisition of the studio in October 2023, negotiations continued with the tech giant.

Experience VILE: Exhumed, the Game Banned by Steam

After VILE: Exhumed faced removal and permanent banning from Steam for reasons not applicable to the game itself, developer Cara Cadaver and publisher DreadXP have implemented their own distribution model, with prices starting at $0. You can download and play the game for free right now, with an option to support Cara financially. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Toronto-based charity Red Door Family Shelter.

Explore Further with Additional Reading

• Kris Holt’s insightful indie game roundup

• Sam Rutherford’s comprehensive review of the Legion Go S powered by SteamOS

If you have a tip for Jessica, feel free to reach out via email, Bluesky, or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal.